1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for use in cleaning scraps of metal and other materials from rollers used in the rolling of sheet stock such as, for example, sheet steel, sheet plastic, paper, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the manufacture and processing of sheet stock, such as, for example, sheet steel, sheet plastic, paper, and the like, it is oftentimes advantageous to wind the sheet stock on rolls for ease of handling, storage, and transportation. In preparing such large rolls of stock, it is often necessary to translate the sheet stock through a series of motor and friction driven rollers prior to the final stage of forming the large roll. During the translation of the sheet stock across the motor and friction driven rollers, particles of metal, plastic, paper, and the like, may become dislodged from the edge of the stock and may become embedded in or otherwise damage the surface of the motor and friction rollers. For example, in steel industry rolling mills, it has long been recognized that small metallic pieces, or chips, of the sheet steel stock being processed are dislodged from the edge of the strips and build up on the surface of the motor and/or friction driven rollers used in the mills. These chips often penetrate the rubber lagging, or surface covering, of the rollers, with the result of not only damaging the surface of the rollers themselves but also damaging the stock being processed, such as by scratching or marking the stock. Obviously, metal, plastic, or other material so damaged cannot be used in producing a final consumer product because of surface imperfections caused by such scratching. Indeed, in certain steel industry rolling mill operations, surface scratching caused by the small metallic chips account for approximately 5-10% wastage of the processed sheet metal.
In addition, rollers which are damaged by the small chips have to be removed in order to reduce the occurrence of damage to the sheet metal. In such instance, the operations of the rolling mill line must be shut down until the damaged rolls can be replaced, thereby contributing expense to the rolling mill process. Further, for rolls having a rubber lagging, it is necessary to replace the lagging containing embedded chips. This results in additional expenses. For example, it is known that in certain steel industry rolling mill operations, downtime of the rolling mill apparatus may represent a cost approaching approximately $500.00 per minute of down-time. And, the cost of replacing the rubber lagging is not inexpensive. In normal steel industry rolling mill operations, that cost may be as high as $400.00 per roll.
In the current rolling mill and other similar operations, various types of brushes have been used to clean the rolls. However, this brushing technique has met with only limited success. Using the rolling mill operations of the steel industry as yet a further example, even in those operations using the brushing technique, the rolls must be frequently replaced; for example, it may be necessary to change the lagging on the rolls as frequently as 3 times per week. Due to the expensive nature of the lagging, and the additional expense associated with stopping the rolling mill operation to remove the rolls, it is apparent that brushing and other comparable techniques currently used are insufficient to clean the rolls.
On the other hand, the novel apparatus of the present invention overcomes the foregoing deficiencies noted in the prior art by providing an apparatus which cleans the rolls, generally in the area surrounding the edges of the strip being processed for longer rolls and for shorter rolls across the entire length of the roll, and removes therefrom the small chips which may damage the rolls and the sheet stock. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning rolls which does not have the inherent deficiencies of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus which includes a knife edge positioned on the surface of the roll, thereby allowing the small chips to be removed from the roll prior to penetrating the surface of the roll or otherwise damaging the surface of the sheet stock.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatus which is adjustable through numerous axis so as to permit ready placement of the knife edge against the roll being cleaned.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the foregoing, the attached drawings, and the description of the invention which hereinafter follows.